Let Christian students celebrate Christmas in UMS campus – Upko

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KUALA LUMPUR: With Christmas just around the corner, it appears that Christian students at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) will yet again celebrate this joyous occasion outside the campus for reasons known only to the institution.

In view of this, United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) acting president, Datuk Madius Tangau, prays that there will be a change of heart this year.

“On behalf of the hundreds of Christian students at our very own UMS, and several parents who came to me for help, I sincerely appeal to the UMS authorities to allow the Christian students to celebrate Christmas within the UMS compound,” Tangau said.

“Upko disagrees with policies that bar students from exercising their religious freedom, more so in an institution of higher learning. Thus, I have taken it on to bring up the matter with our top Barisan Nasional leadership,” he added.

What has puzzled Tangau is the fact that like the Muslim students, the Buddhists and Hindus were allowed to hold their religious celebration in campus. The traditional Tadau Kaamatan is also the UMS annual event.

“The Christians at UMS have been holding their Christmas do at the nearby shopping complex for the last two years because they could not get the approval needed to hold it at their second home, which is the UMS,” he said.

Tangau also said that Upko will have its own Christmas open house at a date to be announced later. Christmas Day is celebrated world wide on December 25 annually.